On 29. November 2023, the European Commission adopted a “Passenger Mobility Package”, a set of proposals designed to improve the experience of passengers and travellers by strengthening their rights, focusing on three aspects:

  1. Stronger passenger rights
  2. Protection of package travellers
  3. Data and digitalization / automation in the transport sector.

In our feedback to the new proposals under point 1 – stronger passenger rights, we considered how they address the topics originally within the scope of the “Better Protection for Passengers and their Rights” initiative. Our key takeaways:

  • Missing from the Passenger Mobility Package:
    • legislative proposal on Multimodal Digital Mobility Services (MDMS)
    • provisions on insolvency protection and self-cancellation in case of major crisis
  • Multimodal passenger rights: welcome as a first step in the right direction; better protection needed for combined multimodal tickets
  • Enforcement: some improvements but no game-changing new provisions

As regards point 2 – protection of package travellers, we considered again how the new proposal addresses the 6 issues we identified a priorities to be tackled by the PTD review in November 2022 (link). Our key takeaways:

  • The proposed amendments to the PTD bring many improvements:
    • Overall, clearer rules and reduced legal uncertainty;
    • Strengthened insolvency protection;
    • Clarification of passengers’ right to self-cancellation;
    • Clearer rules on vouchers;
    • Roles of different actors clarified, B2B rules help to ensure a smooth refund process;
    • Improved information to be provided to passengers;
    • More combinations considered as packages, meaning better consumer protection.
  • However, the following aspects would require some further attention:
    • Enforcement, including complaint handling / redress options for customers;
    • Definitions (LTAs) and information to be provided to passengers;
    • Alignment with other Regulations (notably on insolvency protection and self-cancellation).

Our full position papers are available for download here.